Q: If you have filed an appeal to have your disability case heard before an administrative judge, what things should you to prepare yourself?
A: What can be a long process for some disability claims culminates in a scheduled hearing, which gives the claimant a final chance to thoroughly present the aspects of his case. For that reason, you want to make sure you are thoroughly prepared. If you do not already have a social security lawyer, it may be wise to consider hiring one. The majority of claims that receive approval after the hearing process are represented by a social security lawyer. Although your attorney will help assure you are prepared, there are some things you can do to feel confident going into your hearing. Perhaps the most important things to have a handle on are the time and location of the hearing. Map it out ahead of time, if you are unfamiliar with the location. Build in plenty of transportation time, so you will not be late. You do not want to be late for your own hearing and risk having your case rescheduled. It is in your best interest to have your case heard as soon as possible. Always make sure you are dressed appropriately for a court appearance and are mindful of the decorum expected in a courtroom. The next big item to help you prepare for your hearing is make sure that the office handling your hearing has current and complete medical information regarding your case. Your claim cannot be adjudicated appropriately, unless the judge has recent and thorough data about your condition. If you are working with a social security lawyer, he or she will do this for you. The last helpful hint is simply to understand your own case. Again, this is less crucial for those represented by an attorney, since he or she will have a copy of your file and be well versed on its contents. If you do not have a lawyer, however, it is extremely important to request a copy of your file well before your hearing date. All claimants are entitled to receive a copy of their files at any point. It is best to make that request as soon as you file your appeal, so you can begin to familiarize yourself with the contents well before your court appearance.
Q: If you do not have a social security lawyer, how do you get updates on a claim?
A: A social security lawyer will keep tabs on where your case is in the process, but if you do not have one, it is smart to do it yourself. The most direct line to checking the status of your claim is to contact the disability examiner for your particular case. You will need to call your local office, if you need the specific details for the disability examiner assigned to your case. Make sure to tell them that you are calling regarding the status of your claim. Alternatively, the official government web site for Social Security allows you to obtain your claim status.
Q: Are you allowed to submit a disability application with Social Security via the internet?
A: You are allowed to submit an application with the official Social Security web site. Go to www.ssa.gov/onlineservices and follow the instructions. The site also has some tools to help you determine if you qualify for benefits and estimate payments.